File:The birds of Europe (1837) (14563999628).jpg

Identifier: birdsEuropeVGoul (find matches)
Title: The birds of Europe
Year: 1837 (1830s)
Authors: Gould, John, 1804-1881
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
o conspicuous in this species of duck are, nevertheless, regularly exhibited,the male losing his variegated tints towards the end of summer, and becoming very similar to the female. The eggs are said to be eight or ten in number, and of a dull greyish green. The figures in the Plate represent the male and female in the plumage of winter and spring, which maybe thus described. Male : Top of the head pale buff; cheeks and neck deep chestnut; the ear-coverts spotted with black ;chest delicate vinous grey ; the upper surface generally, and the flanks, beautiful grey minutely barredwith fine zigzag lines of black; under surface and centre of the wing white ; speculum green ; bill andlegs blueish lead colour, the former tipped with black. The female is of a dusky reddish brown; the head and neck thickly spotted with dark brown, each featherhaving a lighter margin, which produces a scaly appearance; under surface white ; bill blackish brown. The figures are rather less than the natural size.
Text Appearing After Image:
*s & 1 i At ^ 1=5i=3 - ^ _ 0) U3 -^ ft.g > rO (jj ^ (0 --g fe* J I i ; pM < Pi K2 Genus RHYNCHASPIS, Leach. Gen. Char. Beak long, its base unarmed, semi-cylindric, the tip dilated, somewhat spoon-shaped, with a small incurved nail; the sides of the mandibles with pectinated lamellae.Nostrils medial, oval, basal. Tail short, simple, furnished mostly with fourteen feathers. SHOVELLER DUCK. Rhynchaspis clypeata, Steph. Anas clypeata, Linn. Le Canard Souchet, ou le Rouge. The singular spoon-shaped bill bordered with numerous delicate lamina?, which characterizes several speciesof this interesting family, has been considered of sufficient importance to constitute the distinctive charactersof a group, to which the name of Rhynchaspis has been applied by Dr. Leach, and that of Spathulea byDr. Fleming, while Mr. Swainson retains the title of Anas to this group, as from the peculiar structure of itsbeak, he considers the Shoveller to be the type of the true grass-feeding ducks: we ha

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